Adjustable tie rod connection



Oct. 17, 1933. w H FARR ADJUSTABLE TIE RODCONNECTION Filed Aug. 1, 1931 INVENTOR. WARREN H.1AI212 BY 2 a A T TORNE Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE rm ROD CONNECTION Warren H. Farr, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Budd Wheel Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 1, 1931. Serial No. 554,484

3 Claims. (01. 287-58) My invention relates to the art of tie rod conto the flattened portions 18 of the tie rod to eilect nections and particularly to tie rod connections a relative rotation ofthese parts, and thus adjust oi peculiar applicability to a tie rod end conthe length or the connected portions through anected with associated members through a rubber relative movement of the pin within the spiral 5 torque transmitting connection such as that illusgroove 12. After the adjustment is completed the 00 trated in the patent application of Ralph H. nut 17 is tightened to clamp the parts in their Rosenberg, Serial Mil-506,393, filed January 3, adjusted relationship. 1931. I have sought to produce a connection be- The housing 11 is provided beyond the socket tween 8. tie rod end and a rubber joint of the gen- .13. with a recessed portion 19 adapted to conl0 eral type illustrated in that application which will stitute the female member of a universal joint. 66 be simple and economical to produce and which This recess is adapted to receive a male member will aiIord adequate provision for a quick and 20 in the form of a spherical head and a rubber satisfactory adjustment. sleeve 21 is received between the male and female The manner in which I have achieved these members of the joint in a condition of substantial 15 and other objects 01' my invention will be obvious mass tension due to the distortion imposed upon from a reading of the sub-joined specification in this member during the assembly of the parts of the light of the attached drawing, in which, the joint. The male member oi the Joint is pro- Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section through, vided with a shank 22 which passes through an the socket member or my improved joint, the opening 23 inthe under side of the housing. This 20. parts being shown in elevation for the sake of male member is threaded at 24 and is adapted to clarity. be interconnected with a suitable operating lever Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation of myimproved associated with the steering mechanism. A cap joint, and 25 is received within the recessed portion at the Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. top of the female member of the joint.

'25 Referring to the drawing by reference char- -,The end of the tie rod opposite the adjustable acters, the numeral 10 indicates a tie rod adapted connection above described is provided with a to connect the steering mechanism for operating circular groove 26 which is adapted to be received the two steering wheels of an automotive vehicle. within a socket in the housing which is inter- This tie rod is coupled to the associated connecconnected with the opposite steering wheel of ac tions through which the wheels are steered by the vehicle. This socket is provided with a suitmeans of a housing 11 which is formed witha .able pin or ball bearing adapted to be received hollow socket 13 adapted to receive an end of the partially within the socket and partially within tie rod. The tie rod end which is so received is the groove 26 to afford a rotatable connection provided in its periphery with a spiral groove 12 and an axially fixed connection between these 35 and a pin 15 whichis fixed against rotation relaparts. It will thus be seen that the tie rod may tively to the housing llhas a portion extending be easily rotated relatively to the housing mem- Wlthin h Socket 13 which is adapted to bers secured to the opposite ends thereof to eflect ceived Within this spiral The 1101131118 11 the desired adjustment betwen the tie rod and is transversely split for a limited distance from its its associated 40 inner axial extremity as indicated at 14, and the It Wm be seen that my invention affords pin 15 is in the nature of a bolt havinga head 16, vision for a readily adjustable rubber tie rod metastasis assesses orvmmpmemwmcmme tion of the bolt opposite the head 16 to secure housfmg Serves both as socket to adjustably 45 the parts in their adjusted relation hi The ceive an end oi the tie rod and as a iemale main body of the tie rod is provided with a flat- 2 the rubber Joint through which the tened portion 18 adjacent the portion thereof tie rod is interconnected with other parts of the which telescopes within the socket 13 to facilitate vehicle the manipulation of the tie rod by a wrench or M ificati ns will be obvious to those skilled 50 other suitable tool. in the art and I do not therefore wish to be lim- From the above description it will be obvious ited except by the generic spirit ofmy invention that the socket and tie rod may be relatively adas interpreted in the light of the attached claims. justed by simply relieving the tension upon the No claims are madeherein to the particular split ends 14-14 of the socket member by unconstruction of rubber joint above described and 65 screwing the nut 17 and applying a suitable tool illustrated in Fig. 1, as this joint is fully disclosed in the copending prior application oi Ralph H. Rosenberg, above identified.

What I claim is:

1. A tie rod connection including in combination a tie rod end formed with a spiral groove, a socket member split longitudinally and provided with a bolt therethrough adapted for tightening member around said tie rod end, said means engaging said groove in said tie rod end within said socket member.

3. A tie rod connection including in combination a tie rod end formed with a spiral groove therearound, a socket member split longitudinally and provided with a bolt passing therethrough adapted for tightening said socket member around said tie rod end, said bolt having a shank portion lying partially within said groove in said tie rod end passing tangentially to the periphery thereof.

WARREN H. FARR. 

